FORTY

Only after Scarlet Sapphira had been literally dragged out of the room and both her mother and aunt apologized to Brair Rose did she pick up her tablet and place a piece of strawberry bubblegum onto her tongue, before closing her eyes and deeply inhaling as she slowly chewed on it, then began sketching on the tablet, before refining the drawing.

She looked at the picture, which was a perfect replica of the kiss Amane and Scarlet Sapphira shared back at the school, then slowly erased Scarlet Sapphira, and put herself in, before making a slight smirk...

***

Amane wanted to spend more time with Scarlet Sapphira, but it seemed he was the last person she wanted to see, she had kicked him out of her room several times already, but she always did it with tears, and not with rage...what happened between the two of them?

The next morning, before school began again, Thomasina was playing her flute with her eyes closed, then memories of what her stupid brother told her came back to mind and when she opened her eyes, just as he said, she saw a man in workout clothing looking at her from a bench, with a smirk.

He WAS cute...hot, but from what she heard, he was a pervert, so she closed her shutters angrily, hoping he'd get the message and he chuckled, looking back.

She couldn't concentrate on the piece after that, and her sisters seemed to realize something wrong and asked her but she said it wasn't of importance, then Markella walked towards the window she had just shut.

Thomasina tried to stop her from opening it but it was too late, Markella looked out and asked,"Was it cold?"

Thomasina quickly nodded and said,"I felt a draft and could barely breathe,even after I closed the window, that was why I couldn't play."

Lucinda and Markella could tell their sister was lying, but brushed it off...

Earlier that night...

Scarlet Sapphira woke up on her bed and saw Amane sitting beside her, with his golden eyes shimmering in the light.

She frowned then said,"Amane, I said I didn't want to see you."

"Why?"He asked,"Did I do something wrong?"

"No, you didn't... it's just... it's nothing."

She was getting up from bed when he held her by the wrists again and said,"I'm not letting you go this time."

"Why do you still like me after all that I've done?"

"Because I know you have a reason you aren't telling me..."

"And what about before? I was literally out of control and did only what I wanted."She said.

He brushed her cheek, right next to her lips with his thumb, then said,"I've already told you that it isn't just you, I was also the same and dragged Lee down with me, if anything, I was worse...until I met you, YOU are my better half Scarlet, no one else."

She kissed him and hugged him tightly, she couldn't pretend anymore, not until there was a gunshot...

***

Scarlet Sapphira and Amane ran to the source and saw Jack Johnson profusely bleeding on the floor.

Scarlet Sapphira ran to him and propped her brother on her shoulder as his eyes slowly fluttered and she called his name, begging him not to go, but he smiled slightly then said,"It's okay...it wasn't your fault..."

His eyes closed and she began to sob till Amane came closer to her as she hugged him tightly, then he spoke,"Never leave me again..."

Then he coughed out blood as he was also shot from behind.

Scarlet Sapphira yelled his name as he slowly fell backwards, then she looked at Brair Rose with her glowing blue eyes and sadistic grin as she said,"I warned you..."

A third shot was heard, right before Scarlet Sapphira woke up from her sleep with a gasp, sweating profusely.

She looked to her side to see her brother looking at her with a tilted head, sweating as well.

She palmed her face as he asked,"What was it about?"

"Nothing, it was just a stupid dream and stop staring at me while I sleep, it's creepy."

"I have no other choice, the moment you groan, I feel your fear and pain."

"Well, no one said you had to sleep in my bed, heck, no one said you had to be so close to me in the first place!"

Jack Johnson looked at her and said,"You're still hiding your emotions on the inside, but I can still sense your fear, what's going on?"

"It's nothing, I'm going back to bed, you should too..."

She lay on her side, trying to sleep and at that moment, a pair of silvery blue eyes abruptly opened...

***

Amane looked at Scarlet Sapphira as she walked through the hallway and the moment she saw him, she turned the other way and entered her class, without taking her supplies from her locker then he sighed.

He went into his first class for the day, which included Lee, and the two men made eye contact as Amane walked to his desk, Lee immediately excused himself to the bathroom and left.

Amane sat at his desk and was about to speak, when he sighed, took off the glasses and crushed them, then disposed them off, them said,"I'm done pretending...we are going to have a different lesson today and Jasmine, I want you to meet me after class, we have something to talk about."

The girl blushed hard when he mentioned her name and all the others got jealous...

***

"...so for the newest clothing line, I was planning on making a cooperation with J'espaire, which is the reason I called you here today, Mr Trey."Markella spoke.

A man sitting at the opposite side of the broad table lifted his head and asked,"I don't see why bringing your main competitor into your company will be a good idea, especially after everything that happened between us."

Markella took a deep breath then said,"Mr Trey, what happened between us is in the past and we need not being it to the business table."

"Why not? Everyone already knows of the number of hot nights we had in my apartment, and those secret ones in your home...that is, until I got bored, of course."

Markella tried to keep her cool before that fool, then spoke,"Mr Trey..."

"Why do you call me that anyway? You used to call me Andy, don't you want to call me that again?"

"Mr Anderson Trey, the past is in the past and..."

"...then why di you call me? Why not another company which you have a better connection with? There's Fontelle, Rische, B and D and Yale, just to name a few, why me?"

"Because checking your files, you seemed to be the candidate with the most potential..."

"With the most potential or the most attraction? I know you just want to do something naughty again, something your boyfriend wouldn't like, don't you, Markella?"

She was as silent as everyone else in the room, then he stood up and said,"Having heard what you had to say, you aren't my type."

He then left the room, with his staff trailing behind and Markella took a deep breath while hollowing her lips, then parted them...

She caught up with him before he got to leave then asked,"What the heck were you doing in there?!"

He looked at her then said,"I do not understand your question."

"You perfectly understand what I'm talking about! Why the heck would you embarrass me like that?!"

He remained silent as she continued,"I don't know what game you're playing but it's over between us, I was young and stupid to fall into your arms, but now I know whom you are, I won't make that mistake again."

"Tsk, you think I'm still interested in you? The reason I questioned you in there was to see if you were the ' candidate with the most potential '(air quotes) among the rest, looking at you and your reactions, I know you're just a naive little girl, and nothing like the greats, nothing like your father and you never will..."

She slapped him across the face and threatened,"Don't you dare use your disgusting tongue to pronounce my father's name or I'll cut it right out."

He looked at her as she stormed off, then brought the flash drive from his hand and licked his bleeding lip and smirked...